Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a self sealing coupling assembly which allows for the passage of utility members through partitions of a structure such as floors or walls while preventing the transmission of fire and smoke through the coupling assembly. In particular, the present invention relates to a self sealing coupling assembly which includes an intumescent material adjacent one end which expands to fill the inner passageway of the coupling assembly such as to block the inner passageway to prevent the transmission of fire and smoke through the inner passageway of the coupling assembly.
(2) Description of the Related Art
The related art has shown various types of firestop couplings using intumescent material to close the passageway to prevent the transmission of fire and smoke through the passageway. Illustrative are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,272,643 to Carroll et al; 4,364,210 to Fleming et al; 4,573,297 to Benscoter et al; 5,155,957 to Robertson et al; 5,309,688 to Robertson 5,347,767 to Roth and 5,417,019 to Marshall et al.
Carroll et al shows a fire resistant fitting having plates with a disc of expandable fire resistant material spaced therebetween. The plates and disc have passageways for the conduits.
Fleming et al describes a fire barrier device having a sleeve of intumescent material and an end cap of intumescent material. The sleeve is affixed to the interior of a cylindrical penetration. The end cap is mounted in one end of the cylindrical penetration. The end cap functions to seal the penetration against the passage of flames, smoke and gas. The use of an elastomeric material improves the seal around the conduit or other member passing through the end cap. The cap has a plurality of radial cuts such that the cap is divided into a plurality of segments. The segments are easily displaced to permit the passage of a conduit past the segments wherein the segments can be manipulated into conformance about the cable. Alternatively, the end cap can be custom fitted with a specific diameter aperture or apertures.
Benscoter et al describes a poke-thru floor fitting having a firestop means for sealing the fitting against the passage of fire and smoke through the fitting. The fitting has openings for power conductors and communication conductors.
Robertson et al describes a fire safety device for closing through-holes in floors and walls. The device includes a conduit which is surrounded by a cup-shaped retainer. The retainer is spaced a uniform distance from the outer surface of the conduit to provide a confined space for the intumescent material. The retainer is spaced away from the outside wall of the conduit except at its bottom edge where the retainer conforms to the outside wall of the conduit to prevent leakage of molten intumescent material therebetween. The upper end of the retainer has a plurality of outwardly extending flanges for attaching the retainer to a floor or wall surface. An annular cover disk is attached to the upper end of the retainer to cover the top of the confined space having the intumescent material. The bottom end of the retainer is provided with floating tabs which extend the floor of the retainer inwardly upon destruction of the conduit to prevent the molten intumescent material from falling through the bottom of the retainer cup.
Robertson describes a penetration unit for use in a concrete slab for receiving a service line or pipe. An intumescent material may be provided in the unit to crush the service line or pipe so that heat, smoke, fumes and fire will not pass up through the pipe to the next floor of the building.
Roth describes a fire retardant sleeve assembly having a tubular housing with a collar having intumescent material which is securely held in place by the housing. The assembly allows a user to slide a raceway into and through a ceiling or floor.
Marshall et al describes a coupling device to provide a pass through opening for pipes in the wall of a structure. The coupling device includes an outer housing having an open lower end and a closed upper end with coupling elements extending therebetween. An intumescent material surrounds the coupling elements and fills the space between the coupling elements and the outer housing. The intumescent material locates and positions the coupling elements within the outer housing. The intumescent material is positioned such that the material expands to close off the opening and prevent smoke or fire from traveling through the wall of the structure.
Also of interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,221,092 to Johnson; 4,848,043 to Harbeke; 4,882,886 to Harbeke; 4,888,925 to Harbeke; 4,916,800 to Harbeke; 4,951,442 to Harbeke, Jr.; 5,390,465 to Ralecki and 5,452,551 to Charland et al.
Johnson describes a sleeve which limits the spread of fire through the floors and walls. The sleeve is constructed of an intumescent material having embedded metallic heat conductors to increase heat conductivity through the intumescent material.
Harbeke (""043) describes an under the floor firestop coupling assembly. The coupling assembly includes a tubular-shaped main body with a main body flange to which a firestop metallic band having intumescent material is mounted. The coupling is mounted into a hole in the floor until the main body flange contacts a bottom surface of the floor.
Harbeke (""886) describes a pipe attachment device having an intumescent material cuff.
Harbeke (""800 and ""1925) describe pipe coupling assemblies having an intumescent collar mounted around a first end with a metallic band wrapped around the intumescent collar. The metallic band serves to protect and hold the intumescent collar together and provides a heat conductor at the circumferential surface of the intumescent collar.
Harbeke, Jr. (""442) describes a firestop collar for mounting around pipes. The collar has an intumescent material surrounded by a metallic band.
Ralecki describes a device for installation in a building wall or floor to provide a passthrough opening. The device has an open first end and a second end closed by a wall. A ring of intumescent material fills the open first end. The intumescent ring can be provided with a central opening sized to engage with an interference fit, a pipe passing through the device. Alternatively, the ring can support a tube coupling for providing a tubular connection within the device to receive and couple pipes on opposite sides of the wall or floor.
Charland et al describes a firestop assembly having at least two (2) intumescent firestop rings and a restraining collar for use with plastic pipes. The rings are provided in a tiered effect to provide better heat transfer. By providing tiered rings, the rings expand rapidly to close the area between the collapsing pipe and the rings.
Only of minimal interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,086,736 to Landrigan; 4,619,087 to Harbeke; 4,642,956 to Harbeke; 4,646,486 to Hauff; 4,669,759 to Harbeke; 4,748,787 to Harbeke; 4,918,761 to Harbeke; 5,035,097 to Cornwall and 5,634,304 to Sakno.
Landrigan describes a fire and/or liquid seal in a structural wall having a tube-like support extending through the wall with conduits positioned in the support and surrounded by insulation material in the form of silicone foam or packed ceramic fibers.
Harbeke (""087) describes a support apparatus and method for attaching fluid-conveying pipe couplings of various lengths to a metal concrete form which is to be embedded in concrete barriers of various thicknesses.
Harbeke (""956) describes a fire-retardant fluid-coupling for mounting in a concrete floor. The coupling has an intumescent material wrapped about one end with the intumescent material exposed at the bottom side of the concrete floor.
Hauff describes a feedthrough assembly having a passageway for receiving conduits. A lining member in the passageway has at least one elastomeric adaptor which engages the wall surface of the passageway and the outer surface of the conduit. The lining member is formed with a hollow chamber which is filled with a material which reacts endogenetically and emits a fire-inhibiting gas when heated.
Harbeke (""759) describes a fire stack fitting for receiving pipes to be coupled from first and second ends. The fitting has a cavity at one end for holding the intumescent material. The cavity is open to the first side of the wall.
Harbeke (""787) describes a cast-in firestop coupling having an intumescent collar. The intumescent collar has an outer layer of tape which forms a protective and supportive coating for the intumescent material. The intumescent collar is open at the bottom of the coupling to air.
Harbeke (""761) describes a toilet flange mount having an intumescent material collar mounted around the outer surface at the lower end. The intumescent collar includes wraps which are frictionally clamped about the outer surface by a metal strip.
Cornwall describes a coupling to be secured in a hole in a concrete floor or wall. The coupling has elastic rings which hold and locate the pipe in place in the coupling.
Sakno describes a firestop conduit element having the intumescent material contained within an external, moisture impenetrable barrier.
There remains the need for a firestop coupling assembly which is used with one or more utility members having a variety of different diameters where the intumescent material in the outer sleeve of the coupling aassembly expands to crush the utility members or to surround the utility members so as to prevent the transmission of smoke and fire through the utility members or through the coupling assembly around the utility members.
The present invention relates to a firestop coupling assembly to allow utility members to pass through a partition of a structure and to prevent transmission of fire and smoke through the partition of the structure, which comprises: an outer sleeve having an open first end and an open second end with a sidewall having an outer surface and an inner surface extending therebetween and forming a longitudinal axis; an inner conduit having an open first end and an open second end with a sidewall having an outer surface and an inner surface extending therebetween and forming an inner passageway having a longitudinal axis, wherein the second end of the inner conduit is mounted in the first end of the outer sleeve such that the longitudinal axis of the outer sleeve is co-axial with the longitudinal axis of the inner conduit; an intumescent material mounted in the inner passageway of the outer sleeve adjacent the second end of the outer sleeve wherein when the intumescent material is heated above a predetermined temperature, the intumescent material expands to fill the inner passageway of the outer sleeve; and a plug having at least one opening extending through the plug and mounted in the first end of the inner conduit to close the open first end of the inner conduit such that a longitudinal axis of the opening is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the inner conduit.
Further, the present invention relates to a method for allowing utility members to pass through a floor of a structure while preventing transmission of fire and smoke through the floor of the structure, which comprises the steps of: providing a firestop coupling assembly which includes an outer sleeve having an open first end and an open second end with a sidewall having an outer surface and an inner surface extending therebetween and forming a longitudinal axis; an inner conduit having an open first end and an open second end with a sidewall having an outer surface and an inner surface extending therebetween and forming an inner passageway having a longitudinal axis, wherein the second end of the inner conduit is mounted in the first end of the outer sleeve such that the longitudinal axis of the outer sleeve is co-axial with the longitudinal axis of the inner conduit; an intumescent material mounted in the inner passageway of the outer sleeve adjacent the second end of the outer sleeve wherein when the intumescent material is heated above a predetermined temperature, the intumescent material expands to fill the inner passageway of the outer sleeve; and a plug having at least one opening extending through the plug and mounted in the first end of the inner conduit to close the open first end of the inner conduit such that a longitudinal axis of the opening is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the inner conduit; mounting the coupling assembly in the floor of the structure which includes: (i) securing the outer sleeve of the coupling assembly to a portion of the partition; (ii) providing a cover for the open first end of the inner conduit; (iii) placing the cover on the open first end of the inner conduit; (iv) pouring concrete around the coupling assembly and allowing the concrete to harden to form the floor; and (v) removing the cover and inserting the plug into the first end of the inner conduit wherein when the outer sleeve of the coupling assembly is exposed to heat above a preset temperature, the intumescent material expands to close the inner passageway of the outer sleeve and sealingly expand around the utility members extending through the coupling assembly such that smoke and fire are unable to move past the intumescent material in the inner passageway of the outer sleeve.
The firestop coupling assembly of the present invention allows for the passage of utility members through a penetration in a partition such as a floor, ceiling or wall of a structure while preventing the transmission of fire and smoke through the penetration. The coupling assembly includes an outer sleeve and an inner conduit. The outer sleeve has a concentric indention around its inner surface within which is mounted an intumescent material. In one (1) embodiment, the inner conduit is mounted in the open, top end of the outer sleeve so that the second end of the inner conduit is adjacent the intumescent material. In another embodiment, the inner conduit is adjustable along the length of the outer sleeve. A plug can be provided for in at least one end of the inner conduit. The plug has at least one (1) opening to allow passage of at least one (1) utility member through the assembly. In another embodiment, the inner diameter of the inner conduit is only slightly greater than the outer diameter of the utility member so that the utility member can be secured to the inner surface of the inner conduit. The inner surface of the inner conduit can be tapered toward a center of the inner conduit. This allows the use of a utility member having two pieces which are inserted from the top and bottom of the assembly. In use, the coupling assembly is mounted in a penetration in a floor, wall or ceiling of a structure. The utility members are then passed through the coupling assembly. If several utility members are used or if the outer diameter of the utility member is smaller than the inner diameter of the inner conduit, a plug is first provided in the first or second end of the inner conduit to hold the utility member or members in position. In addition, an initial blank plug having no openings may be inserted into the inner conduit prior to use of the assembly. When utility members are to be passed through the assembly, the blank plug can be replaced with a plug having the correct openings. Alternatively, the opening can be made in the blank plugs. When the coupling assembly is exposed to heat, the intumescent material expands into the inner passageway of the outer sleeve and prevents the transmission of smoke and fire through the assembly.
The substance and advantages of the present invention will become increasingly apparent by reference to the following drawings and the description.